Dan Guerrero has hired two baseball coaches in his life. He
chose the same guy both times.
The UCLA athletic director ended the baseball coaching search on
Thursday when he named UC Irvine coach John Savage as the
Bruins’ new head coach.
Guerrero, previously the athletic director at UC Irvine, hired
Savage in 2001 to coach at a school that hadn’t fielded a
baseball team since 1992. Now, he hired Savage to coach a team
coming off of an appearance in the NCAA regionals and both Savage
and Guerrero expect the program to grow.
“Our goal, our vision, is to be a national power year in
and year out,” Savage said. “And to build a foundation
for resources and tradition.”
Savage replaces Gary Adams, who was UCLA’s head coach for
30 years before retiring after the end of the 2004 season.
Savage’s three years at UC Irvine were 88-84-1, much more
impressive when considering that he had no roster or baseball field
when he started.
“There’s no doubt in my mind at UCI that he was the
right person for the job,” Guerrero said.
In June, the Anteaters qualified for the NCAA regionals for the
first time in school history, and during the season, were ranked as
high as No. 7 nationally. But Savage left UCI to be reunited with
Dan Guerrero and because of the prestige of UCLA.
“Dan and UCLA’s have a huge commitment to get
student-athletes that compete nationally in both academics and
athletics,” Savage said. I also felt honored to follow Gary
Adams, who made his impact on the program. It’s exciting to
carry on a tradition.”
Savage signed a three-year contract with a base salary of
$95,000. UCI chancellor Ralph J. Cicerone says his school matched
the offer.
“We are disappointed that coach Savage has not elected to
stay in Irvine to build on his previous successes, but wish him the
best in his new endeavor,” Cicerone said in a statement.
Savage will inherit a team that also made it to the NCAA regionals,
but will lose several of its key players.
Only three of the Bruins’ regular starters will be back for sure
as the rest were either seniors or were selected in the MLB
Draft.
The coaching staff may also be different. Savage said
“there will be guys joining me from Irvine,” but also
said that he will discuss bringing back the current UCLA assistant
coaches. “I just got hired,” Savage said. “One
step at a time.”
Savage said his first task will be to talk to all of his players
as soon as possible, and “make the players on the roster get
to know me, and let them get comfortable speaking their
mind.”